Doyle/Democrat photo
St. Thomas Aquinas High School soccer player Lilly Radack, seated at center, is all smiles as she signs her National Letter of Intent to play soccer at the University of New Hampshire on a partial scholarship. To the left of Radack is her mother, Maureen Edmonds; to the right is her sister, former UNH soccer player Rhyan Radack; standing is her father, Frank Radack.

DOVER — The University of New Hampshire features fine academics and a top-level women’s soccer team. But what really sold St. Thomas Aquinas High School senior soccer standout Lilly Radack on her state university might have been the cuisine.

“When my sister was there, she’d take me to the dining hall and all the good stuff,” Radack said. “We pigged out on the food there.”

Radack was joking of course, but the seeds of her love for UNH and her desire to play Division I soccer there were sown when her older sister, Rhyan, played for the Wildcats from 2004-07. While they weren’t stuffing their faces at the dining hall, Lilly was a frequent presence on the Wildcats’ sidelines as a ball girl and cheering on Rhyan.

“I went to all of her games,” Radack said. “I loved her being there and setting an example for me. It’s definitely very cool for both of us to go there.”

Radack signed her National Letter of Intent to play soccer for UNH on a partial scholarship, starting this fall. For her part, Rhyan is thrilled that her younger sister will don a Wildcat uniform.

“It makes me so proud,” Rhyan Radack said. “I couldn’t be more happy for her. It’s nice to keep it in the family. My former teammates are excited. She was always around, so they’re pumped to see her go back (to UNH). I didn’t push her, but I think she saw that I had a great experience there.”

A a senior captain, Lilly Radack scored 11 goals with 11 assists for St. Thomas and was named second team all-state in Division II.

“She deserves it,” said Saints coach Dave Salvacion. “I’m happy she’s going to where she wants to go. She’ll be a great asset to UNH. She was great for us and we’re sorry to see her go, but she’s going in the right direction.”

Radack considered a number of schools, but her choice narrowed down to UNH and Lehigh (Pa.), also in D-I.

“I really like the campus a lot,” said Radack, of Madbury, about UNH. “Even though it’s close to home. It didn’t really matter to me because I’ll be living on campus anyway. But it’ll be nice to have my parents come to games.”

She plans to study journalism at UNH.

“I’ve always loved writing and I love English class,” Radack said. “It’s just something I thought I should try out and see if I like it.”

Radack is the latest in a long line of St. Thomas soccer players to advance to a Division I college. Bri Gray (Connecticut), Jilyse Vendola (Delaware), Michaela Cowgill (American) and Cara Richard (Michigan) are all former Saints who have gone on to the highest level of college soccer.

“There have been so many great girls who have come through the program,” Radack said. “It’s definitely a great feeling, pretty surreal now that it’s my turn to sign the letter and go off to college.”

While Radack enjoyed all four of her years playing soccer for St. Thomas, she fondly recalled her freshman year (2009) when the Saints won the Class I championship. St. Thomas went 18-2 and capped the season with a thrilling shootout win over Hollis/Brookline in the final. The Saints won three overtime matches in that tournament.

“I loved my freshman year,” Radack said. “The team was so close. That was the year we won the state championship. And I loved this year, too. Being among the oldest player was different but it was definitely fun.”

Now Radack will focus on finishing her senior year on a high note, free of the stress of the college applications process.

“Last year was the college-stress time for me,” Radack said. “Now I’m just taking everything in stride, trying to soak it all in.”

The UNH women’s team is still in the process of naming a new coach after Michael Jackson resigned after 18 seasons.